As Scion attempts to restart its stalled sales volume, it's borrowing the design for a Mazda Mazda2 that won't be sold in the United States and calling it the iA. The result is a sleek, affordable and sporty sedan for the youth market with lots of amenities and a front end that looks like it's punching through the air with the deftness of a skilled boxer.
What's New for 2016
The Scion iA is an all-new model this year.
Choosing Your Scion iA
Sophisticated, stylish and loaded with premium features, the iA offers a lot for a very affordable price. Compared to other sedans on the market, the Scion's MSRP of $16,495 with a manual transmission or $17,595 with the automatic offers plenty of value.
A small 1.5-liter four-cylinder engine isn't very powerful at 106 horsepower, but it moves the lightweight iA with more verve than you might expect, especially when it's mated to the slick-shifting manual transmission.
What it may lack in outright acceleration it certainly makes up for in economy. The manual transmission boasts 31 mpg city and 41 mpg highway, while the automatic gives an even better 33/42.
The Scion iA is packed with amenities. Sleek 16-inch alloy wheels give the aggressively styled sedan an even edgier look. Inside, the sedan offers intuitive controls along with an audio system driven by a 7-inch full-color touch screen display with audio control. Safety isn’t a concern with the iA either. With back up camera and airbags throughout, the Scion iA is a solid purchase.
The Scion iA comes in a "single spec" form, meaning there aren't many factory options. But there are infinite ways to customize an iA with dealer-installed accessories. It's fine if you want to go a little crazy because the iA's base price is so reasonable and includes so much, including a fun-to-drive nature.